How-To Geek - Thursday, February 20, 2020 at 1:40 AM
How to Get Free Internet (at Home and In Public)
Lester
Balajadia/Shutterstock.com<https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/wifi-available-here-sign-203147956>
Free internet access is all around us. With these tips and tricks, you’ll be
able to find a free connection at home or when you’re out. Even if you don’t
have a computer, your local public library likely has you covered.
Out and About: Public (and Business) Wi-Fi
Igor
Martis/Shutterstock.com<https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/free-wifi-signboard-airport-zone-506762929>
Free Wi-Fi hotspots are commonplace in urban areas. But, even if you’re on a
road trip, you’ll probably drive past many businesses that offer free Wi-Fi.
Some cities offer public Wi-FI networks, which may be available in parks and
other public attractions. This is more common in bigger cities than smaller
ones, however.
Many businesses offer free Wi-Fi hotspots. Coffee shops like
Starbucks<https://wifi.starbucks.com/> and other smaller independent cafes are
famous for it, but it doesn’t stop there. Fast-food restaurants like
McDonald’s<https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/services/free-wi-fi.html> and
stores like
Walmart<https://corporate.walmart.com/privacy-security/wi-fi-terms-of-use> and
Target<https://help.target.com/help/TargetGuestHelpArticleDetail?articleId=ka91Y0000000MRTQA2&articleTitle=How+do+I+connect+to+Target+Guest+Wi-Fi+at+a+Target+store%3F>
offer free Wi-Fi, too. Wi-Fi isn’t available at every single store, but is
available at many of them.
These are just examples of big chains that offer free Wi-Fi. Many other chains
offer free Wi-Fi, too. Free Wi-Fi is also common in many smaller businesses,
including coffee shops, bars, and restaurants.
We call these Wi-Fi hotspots “free,” but you’re generally expected to buy
something when you visit a business with free Wi-Fi. Still, if you need to grab
a quick coffee or buy something at the store, you can get some free Wi-Fi while
you do it.
There are some risks to using public
Wi-Fi<https://www.howtogeek.com/558115/its-2020.-is-using-public-wi-fi-still-dangerous/>,
but it’s much safer than it used to be.
If You Have Internet at Home: Your ISP’s Wi-Fi
Piotr
Swat/Shutterstock.com<https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/konskie-poland-june-02-2018-xfinity-1106181578>
If you pay for an internet connection at home, there’s a good chance your
internet service provider operates a network of Wi-Fi hotspots you can connect
to for free. These can give you pretty good coverage when you’re away from
home. You just have to connect to the hotspot and log in with your ISP account.
For example,
AT&T<https://www.att.com/support/smallbusiness/article/smb-wireless/KM1197736/>,
Comcast<http://wifi.xfinity.com/>,
Cox<https://www.cox.com/residential/support/cox-wifi-service.html>,
Optimum<https://www.optimum.net/internet/wifi>, and
Spectrum<https://www.spectrum.com/wifi-hotspots.html> are just a few of the
ISPs that offer Wi-Fi hotspots. Comcast calls these “Xfinity WiFi” hotspots.
Many internet service providers outside the USA offer similar networks, too.
Check with your ISP to see what it offers.
Internet service providers generally turn people’s home routers into public
WI-Fi
hotspots<https://www.howtogeek.com/184727/your-home-router-may-also-be-a-public-hotspot-dont-panic/>,
so you’ll find these are often widespread in the ISP’s coverage area. For
example, if you have Comcast and it’s common in your town, you’ll probably see
Xfinity WiFi hotspots all over the place. However, if you travel somewhere
where Comcast doesn’t offer service, you may not see them at all.
Assuming you have a home internet connection and want internet access on the
go, this is a great way to get free internet access when you’re away from home.
At Home: Get Free (or Very Cheap) Internet
gst/Shutterstock.com<https://www.shutterstock.com/image-vector/wifi-connection-design-vector-illustration-eps10-247356082>
Getting free internet access in your home is a little trickier. If you live in
a dense urban area, you may be able to connect to an open public Wi-Fi network
and use that as your main internet access. It probably won’t be as fast as a
dedicated home internet connection, of course.
You could also try to share someone else’s Wi-Fi. For example, if you have a
good relationship with your neighbor, maybe they’d let you onto their Wi-Fi.
It’s possible.
You probably can’t get your own free internet connection. If you have a
landline phone, it’s still possible to use a free dial-up ISP like
NetZero<https://store.netzero.net/account/showService.do?serviceId=nz-dialup>,
which will give you 10 hours a month of browsing for free. But it’s packed with
advertisements, will be very slow (remember the internet in the 90s?), and
requires that landline phone bill. This is far from a good option.
Many ISPs offer subsidized low-income
plans<https://www.highspeedinternet.com/resources/are-there-government-programs-to-help-me-get-internet-service>.
You’ll usually need to already qualify for a public assistance program to get
this discounted pricing. For example, Comcast offers its Internet Essentials
plan<https://internetessentials.com/> for $10 per month to those who qualify.
It’s not free, but these plans offer the cheapest home internet you can pay
for. Similar subsidized plans may be available in other countries.
While these plans are intended for low-income families and individuals, you may
be able to reduce your monthly internet bill by downgrading your plan to a
lower speed tier or negotiating with your
ISP<https://www.howtogeek.com/303809/the-ultimate-guide-to-negotiating-your-cable-cell-phone-and-other-bills/>.
You may be able to save money by buying your cable modem and avoiding those
monthly rental
fees<https://www.howtogeek.com/186941/buy-your-cable-modem-instead-of-renting-it-to-save-4-8-per-month/>,
too.
Anywhere: What About Free Cellular Access?
ImYanis/Shutterstock.com<https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/close-image-male-hands-using-smartphone-594829253>
Did you know that you can get free cellular internet anywhere in the USA? Some
cellular providers offer basic plans with some free data every month. You can
use it on a smartphone or even get a Wi-Fi hotspot. They’re betting that they
can get money from you somehow after you’re a customer.
For example, FreedomPop<https://www.freedompop.com/free-data> offers 200 MB of
data free every month. That’s not much at all—but it is free. You will have to
buy a FreedomPop SIM card for your phone, tablet, or Wi-Fi hotspot to get
started.
Look, let’s be honest: 200 MB isn’t much data at all, and a company like
FreedomPop probably won’t have the best customer service. TIME
Magazine<https://techland.time.com/2013/06/05/freedompops-free-wireless-would-be-cool-if-it-wasnt-so-shady/>
wrote about its “shady” business practices back in 2013, and we’re not sure
how much has changed. We haven’t tried it ourselves and can’t endorse it. But
free is free, and it exists.
The FCC also offers a Lifeline assistance
program<https://www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/lifeline-support-affordable-communications>
that provides subsidized cellular service to low-income households. If you
qualify, you may be able to get discounted or even free cellular data through
the Lifeline program. For example, Verizon’s Assurance
Wireless<https://www.assurancewireless.com/> advertises a phone plan with free
monthly data through Lifeline.
No Computer Necessary: Public Libraries
Lee Snider Photo
Images/Shutterstock.com<https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/new-york-city-june-22-2013-418391977>
Public libraries are powerful, often overlooked resources. Your local public
library probably offers free public Wi-Fi you can use for as long as you want
along with a comfortable place to sit.
Libraries generally offer computers you can use, too. Depending on your
library, there may be a time limit on computer usage so that everyone who wants
to use a computer can do so.
Your local library probably offers a lot
more<https://www.howtogeek.com/366860/not-just-books-all-the-free-digital-stuff-your-local-library-might-offer/>,
too. Blu-Rays, DVDs, CDs, and maybe even video games are common. Many
libraries offer also free access to online courses, newspapers, video-streaming
services,
eBooks<https://www.howtogeek.com/fyi/how-to-easily-borrow-ebooks-from-your-library-on-your-phone-or-tablet/>,
and audiobooks.
RELATED: Not Just Books: All the Free Digital Stuff Your Local Library Might
Offer<https://www.howtogeek.com/366860/not-just-books-all-the-free-digital-stuff-your-local-library-might-offer/>
https://www.howtogeek.com/657634/how-to-get-free-internet-at-home-and-in-public/
David Goldfield
Assistive Technology Specialist
Feel free to visit my Web site
WWW.DavidGoldfield.info
